Clinics and Masterclasses

High School All-State String Clinic

This clinic is for high school string players who are auditioning for All-Region or All-State. The clinic will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at Jefferson High School, Fine Arts Building from 9AM-5PM.

Guest faculty include: John Koen (Philadelphia Orchestra), Amadi Hummings (James Madison University), Lesley Chen (NMSU), Daniel Brandt (EPSO Associate Concertmaster) and more.

Free for EPSYOs members. If you are a non-EPSYOs member and you register before September 17, the fee is $20.  After September 17, the fee is $25 for registration.

Clinic schedule:
8:45AM   Check in
9:00 - 10:30AM   All-Region Excerpt 1
10:30AM - 12PM   All-Region Excerpt 2
12 - 1PM   Lunch (provided)
1 - 3PM   All-State Clinic/All-Region Individual Coaching Sessions
3 - 5PM   Master classes and guest performances

Common questions:

HOW DO I APPLY? To apply, you need to create a profile.  If you are already an EPSYOs member, you probably have already created your profile and you just need to login and click on the All-Region/All-State link on your Account Page.  If you are not an EPSYOs member, create a profile.  Click here to start the registration process "Create an Account" or download and mail in a completed registration form.

WHO IS THIS CLINIC FOR? The clinic is designed mainly for high school string players who will be auditioning for All Region or All State in October.

IF I AM NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL, CAN I STILL ATTEND? Yes. You may attend as an observer.

IS THIS MANDATORY? No, but this is a great opportunity to work with great teachers and to get prepared early for you all-Region and all-State audition. 

WHAT IS A MASTER CLASS? A master class is where a student will perform a solo and you can observe while a teacher gives that student a "public lesson" with tips on how to improve their playing or the piece specifically. This is a great way to learn new ideas and techniques.

WHO CAN ATTEND THE MASTER CLASS? If you are interested in performing in the master class, please contact Jesse Hernandez (jesse@epsyos.org) with the name of the piece you want to perform. Number of performers is limited, but everyone is invited and encouraged to observe.

WHO WILL BE TEACHING? We have some phenomenal teachers running our clinics:

  • John Koen (Cello, Philadelphia Orchestra)
  • Amadi Hummings (Viola, James Madison University)
  • Lesley Chen (Violin, NMSU)
  • Daniel Brandt (Violin, El Paso Symphony Associate Concertmaster)
  • Curt Thompson (Violin, TCU)
  • Yuan Xiong Lu (Bass, TCU)

Plus the following teachers will be judging all-Region individual Coaching Sessions: Susan Hernandez (Franklin HS), Adria Dunn (Americas HS), Claudia Encarnacion (Assistant Principal Cello, EPSO), Benjamin Vickers (EPSYOs/EPSO), Robert Taylor (Principal Bass, EPSO).

WHAT ARE All-Region Individual Coaching Sessions? During ARICS, students will play the All Region excerpts for a teacher one-on-one and receive oral and written comments. Students will rotate through every teacher, receiving comments from all of them to take home at the end of the day.

IS IT TOO LATE TO SIGN UP?  No. It is never too late.  If you are a non-EPSYOs member and register before September 17, the fee is $20.  After that, including walk-ins, the fee is $25.  But, we always have space for you.  Click here to start the registration process "Create an Account" or download and mail in a completed registration form.